persuasive

adjective

per·​sua·​sive pər-ˈswā-siv How to pronounce persuasive (audio)
-ziv
: tending to persuade
persuasively adverb
persuasiveness noun

Examples of persuasive in a Sentence

We weren't shown any persuasive evidence that he had committed the crime. a persuasive argument for increasing funding of the city's library system
Recent Examples on the Web For expectant women who are lacking the sup- port of their own families or the stable relationships with their partners that would help them parent, looking at the pictures of happy weddings, family vacations, and big holiday dinners have their own persuasive draw. TIME, 2 Mar. 2024 Such a moniker, blustered Jones, was symptomatic of the moral decline evident in a persuasive element of youth culture. Matt Thompson, SPIN, 7 Feb. 2024 Others who have been skeptical of applying Section 3 to Trump have made an argument that the dissenting Colorado Supreme Court justices also found persuasive: The way the court went about finding that Trump violated Section 3 violated the former president’s due process rights. Nicholas Riccardi, The Denver Post, 7 Feb. 2024 What Frum fails to do is present a consistent, coherent, or persuasive case for rehabilitating America’s worst two-term president. Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 6 Feb. 2024 The write-in campaign’s arguments proved persuasive for many voters. Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2024 Moreover, the persuasive power of humility in leadership lies in its ability to disarm, engender respect, and facilitate collaboration. Kwame Christian, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 This means campaign messages about democratic norms might be less persuasive among younger voters. Chandler James, The Conversation, 21 Feb. 2024 Although using this intense emotion to fuel an impassioned, persuasive argument could be beneficial, if a person who gets upset ends up bullying others, this will ultimately have negative repercussions for their relationships. Heather Lench, Scientific American, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'persuasive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of persuasive was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near persuasive

Cite this Entry

“Persuasive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persuasive. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

persuasive

adjective
per·​sua·​sive pər-ˈswā-siv How to pronounce persuasive (audio)
-ziv
: tending to persuade
a persuasive argument
persuasively adverb
persuasiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on persuasive

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